Honda Civic Hybrid

From Honda press: The 2006 Civic represents an extreme transformation of design and dynamics. Multiple powertrains for 2006 range from 197-horsepower (2) high performance to 51 mpg gas-sipping hybrid to an all-around performer with two body styles, representing one of the most diverse vehicles in the industry. An expressive and futuristic design with exciting performance and a dedication to providing advanced safety technology set the Civic apart from the competition.

The Civic has always offered industry-leading features designed to reward customers with fun-to-drive performance, efficient and environmentally friendly operation and enhanced safety, and the 2006 model goes further than any Civic before it. The first noticeable difference is that both Civic Sedan and Coupe have entirely new dimensions that make each vehicle wider and shorter in height for a sleek, futuristic appearance that also benefits packaging efficiency, handling and ride quality.

The Civic Hybrid provides the ultimate in clean and efficient technology with the highest fuel economy and lowest emissions of any Civic. Given the instability of price and availability of gasoline and other petroleum products, energy efficient vehicles are critical toward achieving US energy independence. Vehicles such as the Civic Hybrid, for the near term, and the natural gas powered Civic GX, for the midterm, are important components of an energy independence goal.

The fourth generation Honda IMA system consists of a 1.3-liter i-VTEC 4-cylinder engine connected to a high power electric motor and a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). A Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery pack is used to capture and store electricity for the electric motor. The system uses a gasoline engine as the primary source of power and an electric motor provides additional power and electricity regeneration capability.

During acceleration, the engine or the engine and electric motor propel the vehicle. During cruising, the gasoline engine and/or the electric motor can propel the vehicle. During braking, the gasoline engine deactivates and the electric motor acts as generator to replenish the battery pack. At a stop, the engine can enter an idle stop mode to save fuel and reduce emissions, and the engine is turned off until the brake pedal is released.

The latest generation of Honda's Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) technology allows the Civic to achieve an EPA estimated city/highway fuel economy of 49/51 miles per gallon while achieving Advanced-Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (AT-PZEV) standards in all 50 states. Equipped with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) as standard equipment for 2006, Civic Hybrid fuel economy increases by 4 percent in the city and 6 percent on the highway as compared to the 2005 Civic Hybrid with CVT and AT-PZEV certification. The Civic Hybrid can now deactivate all four of its cylinders and operate using only the electric motor in certain steady-state cruising situations. Compared to the 2006 Civic Sedan with an automatic transmission, the Civic Hybrid provides a city fuel economy increase of approximately 63 percent and a highway fuel economy increase of 27 percent.